Buried Spitfires

[Janie]

It's a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.

[eltonioni]

Or a scam. I

[Ian Melville]

A Scam of this scale needs a mark. Who is the mark in this case?

[mick w]

He's on " Look North " this morning , speaking of imagining a Squadron of Spit's overhead .

[pilotbarry]

David Cundall was also on ITV news being interviewed prior to his departure to Burma. Lots of old footage of old aeroplanes.

[Rob P]

A Scam of this scale needs a mark. Who is the mark in this case?

I'm not sure it's a scam

I think it's just a simple case of self-delusion on a grand scale, melded with an astonishing incompetence in handling press and public relations.

Still, we have but a few weeks to wait and all will be revealed.

Rob P

[Oxo147]

More PR...

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world ... 38903.html

and -

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/worl ... nches.html

[Rob P]

self delusion.... an astonishing incompetence in handling press and public relations.

"I think this is on the same level as the Tutankhamun find in Egypt", Mr Cundall said.

"If we're successful, I'd like to repeat what archaeologist Howard Carter said then. Lord Carnarvon asked: 'Can you see anything?', and he replied: 'Yes, wonderful things'.

"They will be restored to flying condition and hopefully they'll be flying in about three years time at air shows"

I rest my case

Rob P

[MichaelJP59]

One thing's for sure, he's generated so much publicity that there'll be no place to hide if it all turns out to be a disaster.

Is there enough of a warbird market to support the restoration of that many new Spitfires though?

[rkgpilot]

[i]"Under the terms of a contract signed with the Burmese government, Mr Cundall will be entitled to 30 per cent of anything he finds, his Burmese agent another 20 per cent and the Burmese government the remaining 50 per cent."[/i]

Don't the RAF/USAF/original owners have any rights? Is burying something of value the same as discarding it completely? Doesn't the fact that you buried it and took the trouble to preserve it, imply an intention to return to reclaim it? These aren't exactly normal circumstances, granted.

Any experts (or guessperts) on property law on here?

If the Spitfires are discovered, I would have thought with that kind of value involved, the original owners wouldn't let them go lightly....just speculating.

[Ian Melville]

A Scam of this scale needs a mark. Who is the mark in this case?

I'm not sure it's a scam

I think it's just a simple case of self-delusion on a grand scale, melded with an astonishing incompetence in handling press and public relations.

Still, we have but a few weeks to wait and all will be revealed.

Rob P

That was my point Rob, eltonioni said scam, yet I can see no obvious victim(mark).

[eltonioni]

I don't think it's a scam, I'm with Rob. Mr Cundall is like a pilot with hypoxia, and good old fashioned human factors are at work. It's going to be one heck of a headache when he comes back down to earth.

A scam on this scale and this public is inconceivable for anyone to carry off for so long, so my money's on delusion.

[Ian Melville]

Or a scam. I

I don't think it's a scam, I'm with Rob

OK, so you are just shyt stirring

[mpk]

"Under the terms of a contract signed with the Burmese government, Mr Cundall will be entitled to 30 per cent of anything he finds, his Burmese agent another 20 per cent and the Burmese government the remaining 50 per cent."

Don't the RAF/USAF/original owners have any rights? Is burying something of value the same as discarding it completely? Doesn't the fact that you buried it and took the trouble to preserve it, imply an intention to return to reclaim it? These aren't exactly normal circumstances, granted.

Any experts (or guessperts) on property law on here?

If the Spitfires are discovered, I would have thought with that kind of value involved, the original owners wouldn't let them go lightly....just speculating.

The owners right now are the Burmese Govt. Everything left behind was given to them at the end of the war. That is why the contract is between him and the Govt.

[eharding]

"I think this is on the same level as the Tutankhamun find in Egypt", Mr Cundall said.

That ended badly though, as I recall.

I remember a documentary in which they read from the Book Of The Dead while excavating the tomb, then Tutankhamun came back to life, feeding on the souls of those unlucky enough to have uncovered the tomb, and then a Stampe was chased by a demented sandstorm before they managed to send Tutankhamun back to the underworld.

If the Spitfire dig turns out even remotely like that, then they could sell the film rights even if all they find is a load of corroded junk.